Attchment-plug receptacle



vJuly 6 1926.

W. H. HARRINGTON ATTACHMENT FOR PLUG RECEPTACLES lied Sept. 8, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet `l mv n@ Nw MN .l

M H H M m L a N Bij/MM July 6 1926.

` w. H. HARRINGTON ATTACHMENT FOR PLUG RECEPTACLES Filed Sept. 8, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF F ICE.l

WILLIAM H. HARRLNGTON, or HARTFORD,

CONNECTICUT, A'SIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD CONNECTICUT,A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT.

ATTACHMENT-PLUG RECEPTACLE.

Application led September 8, 1922. Serial No. 588,911.

My invention relates to attachment plug receptacles, and particularly toreceptacles of the flush type. The object of my inven tion is to simlify and improve the structure of both the insulating body andelectrical conductors of the receptacle, while maintaining fullelectrical and mechanical efficiency of the structure.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a ceptacle in w in one form; Y

Fig. 2 is a broken inverted plan thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the. combined terllninal and contact elementfor the receptac e;

Fig. 6 is a section of a modified construc- 0 tion of the means forholding the parts assembled;

Fig. 7 is a plan view Aof a single iiush receptacle in which theinvention is embodied;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a broken inverted plan of the body portion of the receptacle;

Fig. 10 is a perspective of one of the combined wire terminal andreceptacle contact elements; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same.

The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive illustrates a duplexreceptacle, affording two sets of receptacle contacts arranged inarallel in a single fitting. The insulating bbdy of the fittingcomprises two spaced bays 15 and 16, each having a pair of contactchambers, said bays being united by an integral web 17 of less diameter.On the upper face of the body, the web 17 is depressed, and the bosses18 and l19thus formed by the up er portions o f the bays, project intoor t apertures in the face plate 2O for a fiush receptacle such asshown, as is now ,common practice in the art. l

Seated in longitudinally extending recesses 21 in the lower face of thebays 15 and 16 and web 17 are straps 22, one at each ls)ide of thelongitudinal center line of the ase.

minal lug 23 car 'ng a binding screwr24 by means of whidli,1 a lead wiremay be secured thereto. In assembled position .the

straps lie with,their outer edges substantially aligned w'th thesidefwalls of the ich my invention is embodied plan view of a duplexflush re-` rough similarly shaped,

Offset from each strap is a wire terweb 17, and the offset wire terminallugs 23 11e against and are supported by the opposite side walls of theweb which takes the strains incident Ito the turning down of the screws24 to bind the leadwires. To accommodate the Shanks of these screws theweb 17 is recessed at appropriate points 25.v

Inasmuch as the straps 22 are identical, one being reversed with respectto the other, on opposite sides of the web 17, and further inasmuch asthe terminal lugs 23 are offset from the straps 22 at a point to oneside of the longitudinal center of the stra the binding screws are apartori-opposite sides of the web 17. The recesses 25 to accommodate theinner ends of the binding screwsare thus offset from one another, andthe -strength of the web is thus maintained. l

At cpposite ends of each strap 22 I pro-4 vide o set contact fingers 26,27 and 28, ,so shaped and related to each other that they formcooperating contact brushes, each` group adapted to receive and engagejack blades inserted either (1) between the face of the brush 28 on theone hand, and the face of brush y26 and edge of brush 27 on the otherhand, or

angles to the foregoing, that is between the face of brushA 27 on theone hand, and the edge of brush 26 on the other hand', with an edgeengagement face of the brush 28. To receive these con- 1s recessed fromits lower face to a pair of wells 30 and 31, the upper face of thereceptacles a pair of T-slot a ertures 32 and 33` for the uidance ofjack E ceptacle contacts 4in either of the two positions abovementioned.' f

Each strap 22 is also provided at its opposite ends wlth a lug 34adapted to be received in a recess 35 adjacent the wells .30 and 31.4These `lugs have the function of retaining the stra s 22 in position andresistin the frictiona drag of the jack blades wen the latter gagementwith the contacts.

To support the straps 22,l and their associated elements on theinsulating body, I

provide a yoke 36 extending beneath the atter and having u with offsetlugs 38 ierced at 39 to accommoj date screws by"wh1ch the receptacle maybe tacts, each bay 15 and 16 of the recpptfaclel or a spaced longituinally Y (2) in a position at right I Aof the jack blade by the to whichopen from lades into'en agement wit the -reare withdrawnmfrom en pwardlyangled ends 37 integral unit, the sup ceptacle body itself mounted in anoutlet box (not shown), in accordance with the usual practice. Inas-`much as the yoke 36 is of metal, it is spaced from the straps 22 bysheets of insulating material40, such as fiber, mica', or the like,which may be arranged ab ve the yoke, or both above and below, anmechanically' support the straps 22 and serve to hold them in position,and prevent contact with stray wire beards. i The yoke may be secured tothe insulating body in any7 suitable way. Thus. as illustrated in Figs.1 to 4. the heads of rivets 41 are molded in the insulating bodv of thereceptacle. at a point intermediate the straps 22. while their Shankspass through the in sulation 40 and yoke 36, and are spread bcneath thelatter. In Fig. 6 a single rivet 42 is used passing through the body ofthe receptacle, 4 f The face plate 20 may be secured in position by ascrew 43 taking into a tapped rivet;- 44 molded into the upper portionof the web 17 of the body, or into the tapped4 upper endl cf the rivet42 in the construction shown in ig. 6. y In they modificationshowninllligsaf? to 11 inclusive, the underlying features are identical.Thus, the insulating body comprises a boss 45 integral with the web 46..Let into the lower face of the insulating body are rivets 47 which passthrough he insulating plates 48 and position beneath the base and tosupport the combined wire terminal and contact members 50. In thisconstruction, which embodies the invention in a single outletreceptacle, each strap 50 has but a single set of contact lugs 26, 27and 28 oiiset therefrom, and entering the contact chambers 51, one ateach end of the body. The. wire terminal lugs 52 lie against theopposite sides of the web 46, and the latter is pierced to accommodatethe Shanks of the binding screws 53. In this construction the shanks ofthe binding screws enter the respective chambers 5l, in which'theassociated contacts of the strap are arranged.

In both constructions, the invention4 presents marked economies overrece tacles in common use, by reason of the re uction in amount ofmaterial employed in the body of the fitting, the combination of thewire ter? minal with the receptacle contacts as an rt not only of therein the outlet box, r-but alsoof the contact straps upon the insulatin,body of the receptacle b means of the yo e iece, while the means orsecuring the yoke' inl position are of the simplest possible character.`The appearance of the receptacle is an improvement upon those in whichlthe securing screws pass through the exposed portion of the insulatingbody, .the vosses of the present construction having with the `yoke,

' supporting yoke definitely .locates fh'olesin the lugs yoke 49 to holdthe latter in commodated in said merely guide slots for the jack bladesof the cooperating plug. The receptacle contacts are adapted forcooperation with both tandem andparallel blades, and for polarityconstruction of the latter. The shallow base permits the receptacle tobemounted in wall moldings, While when mounted in outlet boxes anincreased wiring space is available. The one-piece contact and wiretermina] construction insures the best possible electrical connectionbetween these parte.

.with no possibility of defect through the loosening of securing screws,and the like. The arrangement of the binding screws at the sidesV of thewebs enables wiremen to eiiec't a. loop connection with the bindingscrew without diiiculty. The one-piece the position of the holes 39 forthe reception of the the latter may bia/.poin register with the tappedof a standard outlet box. Various modifications in details ofconstruction will occur to those dealing with the mounting screws, andsitioned exactly claim as my invention.

I claim- I A 1. An attachment plug receptacle comprisingamoldedinsulating body rec from its lower face to aiord a contact chamber,`a.contact ventering said chamber from said lower' face of the body, andhaving an associated wire terminal lyin against a side of said body,'sheet insulation underlying said contact, means for securing saidcontact in position, and receptacle supporting means engaged by saidsecuring means.

2. An attachment plug 'receptacle comprising an insulating body recessedfrom its lower face, a contact member lyingl against thelower face ofsaid body and aving a contact projecting into said recess in the body,and an oisetwire terminal lug lyin 'against aside of'said body, a shectmeta problem, without departing from what l strap passing beneath theinsulating body and serving to support said contact member against thelower face of the body, in assem led position, and means for securingsaid strap to the insulating body, together with means for insulatingsaid strap from the contact member. f

3. An attachment pug receptacle comprising an insulating dy recessedfrom its lower face to aiord a contact chamber with lateral channelvopening to said contact chamber, said body being pierced from its outerface to aord a guideway for a jack entering said chamber, in combinationwith a contact member adapted to enter said chamber from the back ofthev body, an a8- sociaited wire terminal' adapted to lie .the side ofIthe body member, a

screw carried by saidwire terminal and aclateral-channel in the bodyduring the insertion of the contact into said chamber. sheet insulationunderlying said contact in assembled position, and means for securingsaid sheet insulation to the base to support the contact in saidchamber.

4. An attachment plug receptacle comprising an insulating body recessedfrom its lower' face to aiiord a contact chamber with lateral channelAopening to said contact chamber, said body heilig pierced from itsouter face to afford a guideway for a jack entering said chamber, incombination with a contact member adapted to enter said chamber from theback of the body, an associated wire tern'linal adapted to lie againstthe side of the body member, a binding Screw carried by said wireterminal and accommodated in said lateral channel in the body during theinsertion ol the contact into said chamber, sheet insulation underlyingsaid contact in assembled position, together with a sheet metal memberarranged beneath ihe receptacle body and sheet insulation and .securedlo the body to support said contact brush and wire terminal in'assembled posilion.

5. An attaclunent plug receptacle comprising an insulating body recessedfrom its lower face to aliord contact-receiving chambers, and piercedfrom its outer face to afford guideways leading to said chambers,

contacts arranged below the body of the re.

ceptaclo and projecting into said chambers, associated Wire terminalsextending from said contacts to exposed position at the side of thereceptacle body, in combination with a` metallic strap passing beneaththe receptacle body and contact chambers, a sheet of insulationseparating said strap from the contacts arranged in said chambers, andmeans for permanently attaching said strap to the insulating body, saidstrap affording means for supporting the contacts in their respectivechambers and also means for supporting the receptacle body in anappropriate location.

6. An attachment plug receptacle comprising a molded insulating bodyrecessed from its lower face to afford contact-receiving chambers andpierced from its outer face to afiord guideways leading toV thechambers, contacts extending into said charian bers from the lower faceof the receptacle.y associated Wire .terminals extending from saidcontacts to exposed position at the side of the receptacle body, sheetinsulation underlying said c0ntaets,a sheet metal member underlying saidsheet insulation, together with securing means molded into the lowervface of the receptacle bodyand affording tacle, associated wireterminals extending from said contacts to exposed position at the sideof the receptacle body, sheet 'insulation underlying said contacts, asheet metal member underlying said sheet insulation, together withsecuring means molded into the lower face of the receptacle body andafford ing means for securing the sheet metal member in position, saidsheet metal member embracing the op osito ends of the receptacle bodyand ailiornling means for mounting the receptacle in an appropriatelocation.

8. An attachment plug receptacle comprising a molded insulating bodyrecessed from its lower face to receive contacts and on opposite sidesto receive wire terminals, in combination with a pair of one-piececombined contact and wire terminal units, each of said units being aplied to the receptacle body from its4 lower ace, with the contact housedwithin the body, and its associated `wire'terminal exposed at the sideof the body, the wire terminals of said units being located at oppositesides of the body, in combination with sheet insulation underlying saidunits, means for securing said insulation to the body, and receptaclesupporting means engaged by said securing means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM H. HARRINGTON.

